Ryan Sullivan on joining Southern Web

With the kick-off episode of Season 8, Matt Mederios interviews Ryan Sullivan about entrepreneurial fears and changes that occur in a business. Ryan recently sold WP Site Care, a maintenance business to Southern Web and wrote an article about this change. Matt is now working for Pagely. They each have an honest discussion of what happens to all business owners and what changes they see occurring around WordPress.

Ryan Sullivan on joining Southern Web

The WordPress market is changing and does not seem to be centered around productized services anymore. (3:03)

The trend has been that the customer wants to go to one vendor that is offering a wide range of services. (3:38)

Many other platforms are pitching simplicity to website customers. (5:11)

It appears to be easy to spin up a WordPress business and people want to start a business to create revenue right away without making a big commitment about what it takes to run the business with great service. (6:40)

To be a solid WordPress consultant today, you should look to specialize for the greatest opportunity. (ex: writing WooCommerce APIs) (25:39)

Marketing is often a missed opportunity for most providers. The most successful marketing for people comes from when you solve a problem that somebody is having. (27:37)

Entrepreneurs need to build a brand that sustains it beyond the operational running of it. You do not have to be good at everything. (30:46)

Common Business Mistakes:

It is hard to identify when a progressive slide is occurring in your business and when you should be asking for help. (13:33)

Use Software that can solve a lot of problems that you bump up against operationally. (14:12)

Get your ducks in a row before you start adding employees. (14:35)

Make sure you understand money and how finance works in the context of your business. (15:04)

Finding a consultant or CPA at the beginning can keep you focused on running your business. (15:33)

Do not let the unexpected sale or growth of the business trip you up as you are scaling your business. (16:30)

People start off not charging enough for their product or service. (17:46)

Adjusting prices as your business grows is necessary to support your current clients. (18:48)

Business Growing Pains:

Identify what your weaknesses are early and reach out to people that can help you focus on what you enjoy doing. (32:32)

Know that you are not alone in your startup effort. (35:00)

If you have investors, know that they are investing in you (not the idea). (37:00)

Know that businesses change and that everyone struggles. (40:06)

Do not let social media impact your progress and efforts. (42:51)

You can use the realistic metric of 1000 fans as a reference point for your social media success. (44:19)

Your digital handshake is what helps you compete with the massive players online. (46:30)